Drug take-back brings in 11,687 pounds of unused medications

National Drug Take-Back Day in April breaks 2013 record

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency was busy after a drug take-back event across Kansas on Saturday.

Law enforcement officers at 117 locations across the state collected 11,687 pounds of medicine for National Drug Take-Back Day. A news release from Attorney General Derek Schmidt’s office said although Kansans may turn unused prescriptions in to local law enforcement year-round, the semiannual drug take-backs help remind people of the importance of safely removing unused drugs from medicine cabinets. Proper disposal reduces the risk of accidentally or intentionally misusing medication.

Kansas law enforcement turned the drugs over to the federal DEA, which is responsible for safely disposing of the medicines. This drug take-back day brought in the largest amount, surpassing April 2013’s record of 10,193 pounds.